TikTok causes mental retardation: Investigation begins!
The impact of TikTok on children has come under scrutiny from the US. US attorneys general will examine TikTok.
Popular social media app TikTok has become the new target of a study aimed at revealing whether it harms young users, especially children. The effect of TikTok on children may be greater than you think.
The U.S.-wide investigation, which came with a press release from the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, will target how Chinese company ByteDance designed, operated, and introduced TikTok to children and young people.
TikTok’s impact on children to be investigated
Massachusetts state Attorney General Maura Healey said the investigation into TikTok will take into account whether it has a bad effect on the physical and mental health of young users.
“We can’t let social media further damage their physical health and mental health, as children and young people are already struggling with anxiety, social pressure and depression,” she said.
According to Healey, state attorneys general have the right to protect young people and learn more about how companies like TikTok affect their daily lives. The attorneys general of California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee and Vermont are leading the investigation.
A tiktok spokesman said they understood the massive investigation launched in the United States. The Chinese app said they would provide information about the measures they are taking for young users.
“We are deeply committed to creating an experience that helps protect and support the well-being of our community, and we appreciate that state attorneys general are focused on the safety of young users. We look forward to providing information about the many security and privacy protections we have for young people.”
News of the investigation comes after US President Joe Biden asked social media platforms to improve data privacy for children.
Former US President Donald Trump tried to sell TikTok’s US operations to the American company in 2020. But the acquisition, which has been going back and forth between companies such as Microsoft and Oracle, was shelved by the Biden administration in 2021.
